Transformers and My Little Pony: Equestria Girls

A Royal Predicament

The Ponyville Ponies and the Iacon Autobots had no choice but to wake the princesses and mentor bots and alert them to the recent events, even if it was the middle of the night. Not long after, an emergency meeting commenced in the throne room of the castle. Princess Cadance sat on her throne, Ultra Magnus, Optimus, Celestia, Megatron and Luna flanking her. Celestia wore a solemn expression as she faced everyone in the room. "Sunset Shimmer and Lockdown," Celestia said as soon as she'd heard the description of the thieves. "Former students of me and Optimus." Rarity, Drift, Sideswipe and Rainbow Dash raised their eyebrows at each other. They'd never even heard of them. "They began their studies with me and Optimus not long before Twilight and Bumblebee," Celestia explained. Twilight and Bumblebee racked their brains and realised they did recall seeing the pony and bot somewhere before. "We didn't really know them. But now we think we remember seeing them in Canterlot..." "You would have." Optimus Prime nodded. "They were two of our most ambitious students. But when they did not get what they wanted as quickly as they liked, they became cruel and dishonest." Twilight and Bumblebee stepped forward, eager to hear more about the mysterious Unicorn and bot-turned-thieves. Celestia and Optimus lowered their heads in defeat. "We tried to help them, but they eventually decided to abandon their studies and pursue their own path. One that has sadly led them to stealing your crown and necklace." Twilight and Bumblebee tried to imagine taking such a terrible path. They couldn't dream up any reason that would make her act like Sunset Shimmer and Lockdown had that evening. Spike stepped forward, grasping both the fake crown and necklace in his claws. "They replaced Twilight's crown and Bee's necklace with these ones." Princess Celestia and Optimus inspected the imposter tiara and necklace. They were very similar to Twilight's and Bumblebee's in deed. Shaking their heads, they turned to Twilight and Bee.

"I suppose Sunset Shimmer and Lockdown thought you wouldn't notice right away that these weren't yours. And by the time you did, it would be too late to go after your crown, necklace and the Elements of Harmony that adorn them." Celestia sighed, clearly troubled by the situation at hoof. Even after everything Celestia and Prime had explained, there were still so many questions that remained unanswered. The crown and necklace had disappeared into a mirror, and Sunset Shimmer and Lockdown had gone right in after it. That part made no sense at all. "But we don't understand," Bumblebee piped up. "Where did they go? Where did they take the crown and necklace?" Princess Luna and Princess Cadance and their robot friends, who had kept quiet through all this, exchanged a look of concern. They didn't say anything. "You'll soon know more about this place than we ever do," Celestia replied, looking dreamily off into the distance. Their minds were somewhere else. Somewhere mysterious. Somewhere that a golden Unicorn, greyish blue bot and a missing crown probably were. And Twilight and Bumblebee had a sneaking suspicion that they were about to go there, too. Twilight and Bumblebee's stomachs were a ball of nerves. First, they'd got themselves so worked up about the Princess Summit, and now they were about to visit a strange, unknown place to retrieve their irreplaceable ancient artifacts? It was almost too much to handle. But Twilight and Bee tried to remain brave. Brave like Princess Luna, who was now trying to explain the mysterious magic mirror in the corner of the room where they'd last seen Sunset Shimmer and Lockdown. The ponies, bots and Spike all gathered around Luna. The dark princess of the night looked especially regal in the moonlight. Her starry blue mane sparkled, and the dark midnight hue of her coat looked extra shiny. "This is no ordinary mirror," she explained. She pointed her hoof at the glass surface without touching it. "It is a gateway to another world." Everyone's eyes grew wide with intrigue - except for Pinkie Pie's. Pinkie's eyes had already been wide before Luna began speaking. Princess Luna looked directly at Twilight and Bee. "It's a gateway that opens only once every thirty moons." "Oooooooh. Sparkly," Pinkie Pie cooed. She leaned in a little bit closer and reached her hoof out to try and touch the surface of the mirror. Luna shook her head as a warning, and Pinkie pulled her hoof back, pouting about being stopped. Luna explained that the mirror was usually kept in Canterlot Castle but had recently been brought to Princess Cadance in the Crystal Empire for safekeeping. Apparently, only a few nights before, Cadance had observed signs that the portal was opening again. Princess Celestia and Optimus looked into the mirror with a trace of sadness in their eyes. Twilight and her robot friend had never seen them this way. The couple looked as if they were learning a hard lesson, even though they were usually the ones doing the teaching. "I had always hoped that Sunset Shimmer and Lockdown would someday use it. To return to Equestria seeking our guidance." They lowered their heads. "Twilight, Bumblebee," Princess Cadance cut in, "You two must use the mirror to go into this other world and retrieve your crown and necklace. Without them, the other Elements of Harmony have no power and Equestria is left without one of its most important means of defence." Princess Cadance looked them both straight in the eye. The pair nodded. The Elements of Harmony had protected Equestria on more than one occasion. Without their crown and necklace, everypony back home in Ponyville and everypony else in the Kingdom was left completely vulnerable. What if Queen Chrysalis somehow came back again? Or King Sombra? Or somepony or bot even worse? It was a horrible thought. It was as if Princess Luna was reading Twilight's mind. "In her possession, you Elements of Harmony will no doubt be used to bring harm to the inhabitants of the other realm Sunset Shimmer and Lockdown now call home. They will not have the power to defend themselves." explained Luna. Celestia and Prime stepped forward. "You must go at once." Bumblebee and Twilight looked at each other and began to step towards the mirror but Sideswipe blocked their way. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" He exclaimed. "If they're going, we're going with them! Right, guys?" He said turning to his friends. The others joined him at the steps. "I'm so nervicited!" Pinkie said to Fixit. "Uh, you know that's not a real word, right?" He said. "I'm afraid we can't let you all go." Celestia said to Sideswipe who looked annoyed about being told what to do. "Sending all of you will upset the balance of this alternate realm, making it impossible for Twilight and Bumblebee to get the crown and necklace back from Sunset Shimmer and Lockdown. This is something Princess Twilight and her friend must do alone." Said Celestia, turning to the pair. It was time. Bumblebee and Twilight knew that they had to leave now, or risk losing their treasured items forever! They looked at each of their friends, who has begun to gather round them. It was going to be scary to go to a new world without them. "You can do this, guys," Applejack encouraged, giving them a hug. "You'll be back before you even know it," added Jetstorm, giving a little smile. "Time is of the essence!" Megatron interrupted the goodbyes, eager to see the two off on their quest. Luna place a bag on Twilight's back, presumably for hiding the crown once it was recovered from Sunset and Lockdown. Megatron's face looked serious as he spoke. "Remember, on the third day, when the moon reaches it's peak in the night sky, the gateway will close. Once it does, it will be another thirty moons before you will be able to use it to return." The others looked at each other in concern. Three days wasn't much time at all. Just as Bumblebee and his quadruped friend were about to step through the swirling mirror, Optimus gave one final warning. "Twilight, Bumblebee, things will look very different where your going. Even you will look different." Bee and Twilight wondered if maybe their wings would disappear again, but then brushed the thought away. They really had no idea what to expect of this new world. Wings were the least of their problems right now. "But if you use what you have learned here in Equestria," Prim continued, "I am sure you will prevail." "We'll do our best," The pair replied sincerely. And with one final glance back at their friends, Twilight and Bumblebee took a step through the filigreed arch of the shimmering frame.